May 4, 2020

Updated May 1, 2020. Details are as of press time, please see links for the most current info.

During the current shelter in place, I have watched nonprofit organizations cancel in-person volunteer events, as well as increase their need for volunteers. This can be especially hard on smaller organizations who don’t have a large support network.

In response to this, I compiled a list to match willing-and-able volunteers with organizations in need. Please consider sharing your talents and time with these organizations—and share your organization’s virtual needs to be added to the list.

United Way Quad Cities

Volunteer Needs:

Virtual Children’s Activities: Create a video of yourself, your family or your team completing an activity of interest to children while we are all staying home. Read a children’s book, conduct a science experiment, bake and decorate cup cakes or create your own activity.

giveNkind

giveNkind bridges the gap between what nonprofit organizations have and what they need to thrive.

Volunteer Needs:

Help place items from corporate donors with nonprofits across the country. Join our team of dedicated volunteers who reach out to organizations with the great news that we have donations they might need.

Individuals with experience in web design, social media, and Excel are needed.

April 30, 2020

Gen Z, also known as “Philanthroteens,” refers to young people born in the late 1990s and later. This group has grown up with access to current events and social media, so they tend to be well-informed, socially-conscious, and looking to make a difference.

Gen Z are fans of platforms driven by fast-paced visual content like Instagram, Snapchat and YouTube,(Criteo). Social change activities and volunteer experiences are especially relevant to this audience as they build their resumes and seek out internships and jobs.

Since they make up the next generation of donors, Gen Z should definitely be considered in the planning of your social media marketing strategy.

April 28, 2020

What is your organization’s x-factor (or point of difference) and how can you express this on social media? Social media is getting more and more crowded, so finding a way to stand out and be memorable is crucial.

A few ways to stand out are using a particular style of image or illustration, creating a theme or hashtag unique to your organization, or writing in a unique voice or perspective.

April 27, 2020

One of the first steps in developing a social media strategy is to determine your ideal audience, or who you are speaking to. Next, research which channels your audience follows and engages with. And lastly, learn what type of content they read and engage with.

Keep in mind that each channel will have a slightly different audience, so make sure to customize your social media strategy for each audience (as it relates to each channel).

April 25, 2020

In marketing and sales, it’s said that you must add value before you sell, i.e. don’t pitch someone before they are ready.

The same concept applies to social media—and it might be even more important here because the interactions are so personal and immediate. Let your audience get to know you before you make your ask.

Some ways to add value is by sharing stories, statistics, tips, opportunities or resources that are unique to your organization. You can also provide value by responding to questions or concerns in a timely manner. Or you can provide a forum or community for people to meet and engage.

April 24, 2020

User experience, or UX, is the process of creating a product based on end users’ needs or expectations. All of your social media channels will make up the user experience, so it should be focused, targeted and relatable.

This is a good reason to have a social media brand guide—and ideally a brand guide for your overall branding—so that every print and digital interaction a user has with your organization is consistent and on-brand.

April 23, 2020

As the saying goes, “People buy from people that they know, like, and trust.” This is very true in social media, where people can make more personal connections than in say, advertising or direct mail.

A few ways to help develop trust in followers is to provide useful information, share stories that resonate and make consistent outreach.

April 22, 2020

Like other marketing tactics, social media won’t work unless you start with a well-thought out strategy. First, review your organization’s mission, vision, strategic plan and overall goals. Use those insights (plus additional research, if needed) to develop related social media goals and KPIs.

Your social media goals, target audience and messaging will likely be different for each channel, which is why it’s a good idea to consider this carefully and develop a documented strategy that can be shared with your entire team.

It’s also a good idea to create a social media mission statement and social media brand guide for reference while creating messaging and graphics.

A social media strategy is not set in stone. You should review your plan at least quarterly and make adjustments based on analytics and observations.